We have our regular Resist Trump Tuesday rally and weekly meeting on Tuesday. We hope to see you at one or both events! Details are at the end of this message.

Today's Action: Encourage House Speaker Frank Chopp to abolish the death penalty in Washington state

Last week our State Senate passed a bill to repeal the death penalty in Washington State. That bill, SB 6052, is now on its way to the House, where its fate rests in the hands of Speaker Frank Chopp: if Speaker Chopp allows the bill to come to the floor, then it’s likely to pass and the Governor will sign it. If not, then the bill quietly dies in committee or just expires at the end of this year’s legislative session.

Democrats have a razor-thin majority in both chambers of our state legislature, and Speaker Chopp needs to be convinced that voters will keep Democrats in the majority if we repeal the death penalty. He'll make his decision based in part on the level of support this bill gets from constituents, and that means phone calls, emails, and letters. Ending the death penalty is the morally right move, plus statewide polling says that 70% of voters would be either more likely to vote for a legislator who voted to end capital punishment, or that it would make no difference in deciding their vote.

This is a real opportunity for progressives to tip the scales in favor of repealing the death penalty, and an opportunity to show our Democratic elected officials that bold leadership gets rewarded.

You can reach Speaker Chopp’s office in Olympia at 360-786-7920. All Washington state voters should feel welcome to reach out to Speaker Chopp, and the office should be open even though it is Presidents' Day. As always, please leave a voice mail if you cannot get through.

Sample Script

Hi, my name is {NAME} and I'm calling from {CITY, ZIP} to ask Speaker Chopp to allow a vote on repealing the death penalty in Washington state. I think the death penalty should be abolished because {REASON}. Thank you for your time.

Reasons

The death penalty is applied in a racially biased manner. People of color are far more likely to be executed than white people, especially if the victim is white.

The death penalty is a waste of taxpayer funds and has no public safety benefit. The vast majority of law enforcement professionals surveyed agree that capital punishment does not deter violent crime.

Events

Resist Trump Tuesday Rally!

Come join us at the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building on Tuesday at 11:45am. This week we will focus on state-level strategies and how we as Washingtonians can fight the Trump agenda right here at home.

Because the Senate is in recess, the staffers will NOT be available for office hours following this week's rally. Next week (2/27), office hours will resume as usual.

Week in and week out, we need each and every one of you. Please come join us!